Early Senate elections an attempt to distort Constitution: Maryam

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz unleashed a trenchant of criticism against the government over its intentions to prepone the Senate elections by a month and holding by-elections in case the opposition resigned from the assemblies.

At a press conference in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz accused Prime Minister Imran Khan of “destroying” the national institutions for his own benefit, repeating her earlier claims that the government had weakened and any change in the Senate election schedule would not save it from falling.

“In what capacity did Imran Khan decide to hold Senate elections a month ago? Didn’t anyone tell you [prime minister] that you can’t make election announcements,” she said. “You cannot distort the Constitution for personal gains and we will not allow it.”

Maryam’s press conference comes after reports emerged that the government had decided to hold Senate elections in February, instead of March 2021. The government had also decided to move the apex court regarding the voting through “show of hands”.

According to the PML-N leader, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was the constitutional body for holding elections in accordance to the Constitution. She advised the chief election commissioner (CEC) not to consider any unconstitutional or illegal move.

She stressed that only the ECP has the authority to hold and announce elections but added: “The nation is watching the Election Commission. If the Election Commission follows those fake measures, the nation will presume that you are biased.”

The PML-N leader said that the government had been weakened by the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) public gatherings and now even the “early Senate elections or any other ploys” would not save it from falling.

Responding to a question about the statements of government ministers that the PDM rallies did not make any difference, she responded with a question, asking: “Then why are you holding early Senate election?” she said: “They know that the days of government are numbered.”

When asked further about the statement of the prime minister that the by-elections would be hold if the opposition resigned from the assemblies, she replied that by-polls could not be held on 500 seats of National and provincial assemblies. “If by-elections are announced, then we will not sit idle at home.”

About the proposal for Senate vote through show of hands, she said that the party was not against any open ballet per se. However, she added that why the government forgot the ‘show of hands’ method when the no-confidence motion was moved against the Senate chairman.

Maryam Nawaz warned that the government could not bulldoze the current voting method for the Senate election through a presidential ordinance because such a change would require a Constitutional amendment.

“They remembered the show of hands method when they see that their government is going. They have become weak, they have lost confidence of their members of the National and provincial assemblies,” the PML-N vice president added.

When asked that the government intends to move the Supreme Court, Maryam Nawaz said that the apex court could only interpret the law but could not amend the Constitution. “Why is the Supreme Court being made controversial,” she asked.

During the press conference Maryam Nawaz also commented on a picture of Prime Minister Imran, playing with his dog on Sunday – the day when the PDM was holding its final anti-government rally in Lahore. “Your fear was reflected in the picture,” she said, in a jibe at Prime Minister Imran.

She also slammed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), saying that that the “name of NAB chairman is Imran Khan” and warned that playing with national institutions was dangerous. She said that the PML-N would remain united and the government attempts to break the party had failed.

When asked about the recent pictures of her father, Nawaz Sharif, who was eating pizza in London, she said: “Do you object to Nawaz Sharif looking healthy? Why can’t a person eat pizza, which doctor has said that a patient with platelets [issue] can’t occasionally eat pizza?”

PPP rejects early Senate polls

Discussing the government’s decision to hold polls for the 51 seats of the Senate, a month before the schedule, PPP Parliamentary Leader in the Senate, Sherry Rehman said the term of the current senators would end on March 11, 2021, therefore, holding elections before time was wrong on many counts.

“It is quite clear that this is being done to disrupt the PDM movement, and to make up for unhappy government lawmakers whose votes the PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] is not sure of, but what the federal government does not realise is that this is an illegal and unconstitutional act,” Rehman said.

“How can the Senate polls be held before the senators’ terms expires? The term of the current senators will end on March 11, 2021 so, holding elections before that is wrong on many counts and can potentially mire the country in a constitutional crisis,” she added.

Who is the government to change the dates when the authority lies with the ECP to formulate the schedule of the Senate’s elections? What is the urgency that a 41-year-old schedule is being changed? “It is obvious that they are extremely rattled by the prospect of losing their own disgruntled members.”

(WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)